17 Jul 2019 14:10

Russia learns to repair Ukrainian engines for An-124 Ruslan - Russian Deputy PM Borisov

MOSCOW. July 17 (Interfax) - Russia will repair D-18 engines for Antonov An-124 Ruslan transport aircraft independently, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov said in an interview with Interfax.

"Russia has learned to repair engines of this type. The first repaired engines have already been received. We hope we can repair at least 12 engines a year; that's three planes. With such dynamics, we will boost the condition of this fleet quite quickly," Borisov said.

Borisov said last summer that Russia did not plan to resume An-124 Ruslan production, but the existing fleet would be modernized.

According to earlier reports, the commander of Russia's military-transport aviation, Vladimir Benediktov, said on the radio station Ekho Moskvy on June 2, 2018 that Russia was considering resuming production of the An-124 Ruslan, which is the world's largest military transport aircraft.

The An-124 was developed by the Antonov Design Bureau and was manufactured in Ukraine during the Soviet period; however, the plane is not the intellectual property of Ukraine, Benediktov said.